Gamera, the Giant Monster (1965)

Best movie of this year hands down!

People are voting emotionally.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

31 Days of Spookoween: DAY SIXFilm #6: Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)Review: Gamera always has and always will have a special place in my heart. Before today, I had only seen one other film in the Gamera cannon, and yet it feels as if I have a limitless stream of fond memories dealing with this goofy turtle monster...The poster for this film, the first in a long line of corny Japanese monster movies revolving around a cheesy, lovable turtle named Gamera, hangs gleefully in my room, smiling back at me whenever I enter its darkened walls. And today I finally watched the damn thing. And it was definitely pretty bad for the most part, BUT it was too entertaining to dismiss.While not exactly so bad it's good, the movie serves as a fun watch that both fails and succeeds at whatever it tries to do. The effects are often rather silly, but they're also charming in the same way many of these classic monster movies are. You can tell this movie isn't trying to be all too serious, although it does in brief moments, and instead is just trying to provide the viewer with a fun, thrilling experience; and, for the most part, it is rather successful. So, if you're a fan of classic Godzilla-type monster flicks and are prepared to turn your brain off for a little while and enjoy some light, cheesy fun, watch "Gamera: The Giant Monster" as soon as possible and be prepared to go on a fantastic, exciting, and sometimes unintentionally hilarious ride!

*** This review may contain spoilers ***Ever since I've been a young kid I have always been a big fan of Japanese monster movies. For example, Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah and among many others. Gamera is one of many of them. He is a giant monster turtle created by Daiei Motion Pictures Company in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to- late 1960s. Over time, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own right. but not as much as Godzilla did.The Gamera movies from the 1960's to 1980 were intended for kids and I think that is where there weak points are. However, they are a guilty pleasure for me and anyone else who loves to see monsters attacking Japan.

1965's "Gamera: The Giant Monster" is notable for three things: Daiei Studio's Gamera, the giant fire-breathing turtle of Atlantean origin, was the only significant rival to Toho Studios' Godzilla; two, this is the only movie in the "Gamera" series of films in which the titular chelonian does not battle another monster; and three, this was the last Japanese monster movie to be filmed in glorious black & white. Godzilla is my favorite movie monster of all time - "Gojira" (1954) is my favorite giant monster movie, period - since I was first exposed to the badly dubbed Japanese "kaiju-eiga" (Japanese monster movie) series of films as a young kid. Gamera was my #2 favorite monster from Japan. I deeply regret that Gamera never really obtained the same sort of recognition that his other fire-breathing rival did, but that does not mean that the movies were not bad.Directed by Noriaki Yuasa, "Gamera: The Giant Monster" has a plot ripped straight from the original "Gojira," but with a significantly lower budget and lacking a meaningful social and political subtext or emotional resonance: at the height of the Cold War, American and Soviet bombers in the Arctic Circle clash with one another, leading to a Soviet plane being shot down and thus inadvertently detonating its atomic payload. The resulting explosion revives Gamera, who had been imprisoned in the ice for over 8,000 years. Gamera, who breathes fire and can fly, makes a beeline toward Japan where he soon causes great destruction and finds nourishment in fossil fuels such as gasoline and petroleum, and other rudimentary forms of energy. Since Gamera is impervious to conventional weapons and the so-called "nuclear options" are quickly ruled out, only a brilliant scientist, Dr. Hidaka (Eiji Funakoshi), has the means of stopping Gamera's destructive rampage once and for all."Gamera: The Giant Monster" is not a perfect film. I'll say that it pretty much pales in comparison to "Gojira." But that's because the "Gamera" series of films often had significantly lower budgets and one of the most nagging problems with these films were the inclusion of annoying little children as the main protagonists, which helped earn Gamera the nickname of "friend of children" and the films were often marketed as such toward children. (1966's "Gamera vs. Barugon," a direct sequel to "Gamera: The Giant Monster," is noteworthy for being the only film in the series to not feature any children as the main protagonists, and is my favorite film in the series after this one.) And although there is a kid here, an implacable young boy Toshio Sakurai (Yoshiro Uchida), he is at least made useful to the plot and does not become the annoying little nuisance that his successors would eventually become. And he is also sympathetic in some regard since he comes to view Gamera as his only friend (the exact circumstances of this "friendship" are actually quite touching if viewed with an open mind), and likewise we identify with this unique little bond.Having viewed the film for the first time in its original, uncut Japanese format, I can say that "Gamera: The Giant Monster" is a worthy kaiju film, despite its flawed attempts at a pro-environmentalist subtext and as an anti-Cold War message movie (different nations coming together to face a worldwide threat, etc.) The film marked the beginnings of another great movie monster, one who never really got the popularity that he really deserved. But at least since his movies are getting the DVD treatment and are being released in their original Japanese formats, a new generation of Gamera-lovers has the chance to view Japan's heartiest export next since the mighty King of the Monsters himself, Godzilla.7/10

It doesn't make sense to give this film a bad rating - but it really doesn't make sense to rate it at all.Don't assume that means that this film is so ridiculous, it's beyond redemption... well, it IS ridiculous and beyond redemption; but it is certainly enjoyable on its own terms.If this film is easy to misunderstand, it's because it's really difficult to say what 'it's own terms' really are. It begins clearly intending to compete with the successful Godzilla series; but somewhere about mid-way, it suddenly decides to be about a lonely young boy. In order to salvage its science-fiction credentials, it then comes up with an impossible solution to the Gamera threat to the human race - I can't tell you what it is, but it would take the entire assets of the developed nations of the world to pull off - it might be better to let the big turtle stalk around and just stay out from beneath his feet.On top of all this wild nonsense, the American release print, which is the only one I know available, adds on some wonderful campy stuff, like the televised debate about the possible existence of the big turtle, and lowest-budgeted attempt to portray a meeting of the UN Security Council you are ever likely to see - even the one in the Adam West Batman movie looks spectacular in comparison.There is no way to wrap your brain around this one, so don't bother. A guilty pleasure to the max. And one more important point in its favor - unlike most of the other '60s Gamera films, this one moves along at a fine pace and never drags.So microwave some kettle corn and munch down - you deserve not to take life so seriously you can't enjoy a bit of fluff like this.